Getting Started

in the D.I.Classroom

Judy Rex
judyrex@cox.net

Low Prep DI: Begin Slowly Just Begin!

Choices of books
Homework options
Use of reading buddies
Varied Journal Prompts
Orbitals
Varied pacing with anchor options
Work alone / together
Whole-to-part and part-to-whole
explorations
Flexible time, materials, grouping
Varied computer programs
Negotiated Criteria
Explorations by Interests

Varied Supplementary materials

Options for varied modes of
expression
Varying scaffolding on same
organizer
Think-Pair-Share by readiness,
interest, learning profile
Use of collaboration,
independence, and cooperation
Open-ended activities
Mini-workshops to reteach or
extend skills
Jigsaw
Games to practice mastery of
information
Multiple levels of questions

3 CRITICAL ELEMENTS
in a DI Classroom

1)T ime
2)Materials
3)G rouping

1)T ime
Negotiated deadlines
Anchor Activities
Orbitals
Independent Studies
Checklists/Agendas

Anchor Activities
Tasks that students move to automatically after
completing assigned work.
Essential to student learning - not just time fillers
Linked to curricular K-U-Ds
Options offered from teacher and/or student
generated lists
May be generic or specifically linked to a topic of
study
Provide opportunities for all students to use anchor
activities
Seldom graded

Beginning Anchor Activities

Teach one key anchor activity to the whole class very carefully.
Later, it can serve as a point of departure for other anchors.
Explain the rationale.
Let students know you intend the activities to be helpful
and/or interesting to them.
Help them understand why its important for them to work
productively.
Make sure directions are clear and accessible, materials readily
available, and working conditions support success.
Think about starting with one or two anchor options and expanding the
options as students become proficient with the first ones.
Monitor student effectiveness with anchors and analyze the way they
are working with your students.
Encourage your students to propose anchor options.
Remember that anchor activities need to stem from and be part of
building a positive community of learners.

What Do I Do Now?

When you find yourself asking that

question, choose something from this list!
*Create a comic strip
*TOPPS, math games
*Set, Boggle, Scrabble, etc
*Create a game
*Practice cursive/calligraphy
*Practice anything!
*Create math story problems
or puzzles
*Help someone else
*Write:letters, comics,
stories, essays, etc.

*Computer Task Cards

*Independent Study
*Practice SAT/ACT cards
*Create a PowerPoint
*Keyboarding
*Solve challenge puzzles
*Listen to a book on tape
*Question Board
*Read:poetry, books,
comics, periodicals, etc.
*Use your imagination!

Suggested Anchor Activities

for a Foreign Language Class
Use computer software to design a slide show or movie of young
people enjoying various pastimes in America and France. Narrate
in written or oral form.
Play a French game: Mille Bornes, Scrabble, Monopoly.
Read a variety of French childrens books. Create your own.
Watch a video about French-speaking young people. Turn off the
volume and create your own narration.
Collect and display pictures from French and American magazines
that highlight cultural differences. Create captions or stories.
Using the visuals that depict French speaking cultures and the
sentence starters provided, create your own sentences to show
how young people in French-speaking cultures behave and
communicate.
Adapted from Theres a Pattern Here, Folks!, Cindy Strickland, Differentiation in Practice, 2003

Suggested Anchor Activities

for a Study of Plants
Make an ABC list of plants using books in the classroom.
Create a collage of plants or flowers. Label the plants and
flowers if you know their names.
Draw and label plants that we can eat. Which do you like to
eat? Or draw and label plants that we cannot eat. Why cant
we eat these?
Design a garden. What will you put in it? Why?
Create riddles or jokes about plants and their parts. Try
them out on your classmates.
Write a song about plants, what you like about them and why
they are important.
Measure the plants in the classroom and create a graph
showing their heights. Do you think that will change? Why?
Design a new kind of plant or flower. What is special about
it? How is it different from others?
Make up your own plant activity and check with your teacher!
Caroline Cunningham Eidson, Differentiation in Practice, 2003

An instructional approach designed to foster/support student

interests and teach skills of inquiry and independence.
1. Students are asked to complete out-of-class investigations to
answer questions or learn about topics of interest to them.
The topics/questions do not have to relate to class content.
3. The teacher guides students from their particular points of
readiness to pose good questions, find resources, abstract
viable information, keep records,determine answers, share
work, raise subsequent questions, etc.
5. Students share findings in appropriate formats with peer
audiences.
6. Lengths, conditions of orbitals will vary with student
readiness, interest, mode of learning

2) Materials
variety
choice - interest/learning profile
scaffolding
compacting
homework
12

DIFFERENTIATION is the lens you look

through when using any materials,
programs or instructional strategies.
If you have high quality curriculum and
materials, then it isnt so much WHAT you
use as it is HOW you use it to meet the
varying readiness, interests and learning
profiles of your students.
Textbooks and other district provided
materials can be used as additional
resources to get us where we need to go.

TEACH KIDS NOT PROGRAMS!

Literature Studies
Provide a variety of sets of books
Students go book shopping to select
their top choices
Teacher assigns groups based on student
interest

Book Shopping

Browse through the sets of literature study books. Use the

criteria we have developed for selecting just right books to
choose what is best for you to read. List at least 3 choices
along with your justification for choosing each one.
Title

Author

Describe how this book will help you

become a better reader/writer.

Judy Rex, 2003

Providing support needed

for a student to succeed in
work slightly beyond his/
her comfort zone.
For example
Directions that give more structure or less
Tape recorders to help with reading or writing beyond the students grasp
Icons to help interpret print
Reteaching / extending teaching
Modeling
Clear criteria for success
Reading buddies (with appropriate directions)
Double entry journals with appropriate challenge
Teaching through multiple modes
Use of manipulatives when needed
Gearing reading materials to student reading level
Use of study guides
Use of organizers
New American Lecture
Tomlinson, 2000

Compacting
1.
2.
3.

4.
5.

Identify the learning objectives or standards ALL

students must learn.
Offer a pretest opportunity OR plan an alternate path
through the content for those students who can learn the
required material in less time than their age peers.
Plan and offer meaningful curriculum extensions for kids
who qualify.
**Depth and Complexity
American Wars instead of Civil War
Beverly Cleary books instead of Ramona
Differing perspectives, ideas across time
**Orbitals and Independent studies.
Eliminate all drill, practice, review, or preparation for
students who have already mastered such things.
Keep accurate records of students compacting activities:
document mastery.
Strategy: Compacting

Getting Started
in the D.I.Classroom

Judy Rex
judyrex@cox.net

3) Grouping
think/pair/share
jigsaw
clock partners
tiered readiness groups
learning profile/interest
19

Flexible Grouping
Should be purposeful:

may be based on student interest, learning profile and/or readiness

may be based on needs observed during learning times
geared to accomplish curricular goals (K U D)

Implementation:

purposefully plan using information collected interest surveys,

learning profile inventories, exit cards, quick writes, observations
list groups on an overhead or place in folders or mailboxes
on the fly as invitational groups

Cautions:

avoid turning groups into tracking situations

provide opportunities for students to work within a variety of groups
practice moving into group situations and assuming roles within the
group

Judy Rex, 2003

Flexible Grouping Options

By Readiness, Interest,
and Learning Profile

By Group or Make up (student

similarities, size, variance)

By Teacher Choice, Student

Choice, or at Random

My
Appointment Clock

Round the Clock Learning Buddies

Make an appointment with 12 different people one for
each hour on the clock. Be sure you both record the
appointment on your clocks. Only make the appointment if
there is an open slot at that hour on both of your clocks.

Tape this paper inside a notebook, or to

something that you will

bring to class each day.

Pre-Assigned Standing Groups

10 OClock Groups

Interest/StrengthPairs

11 OClock Groups

Similar Readiness Quads

Similar Interests
/Strengths

Grouping By The Clock

12 OClock Groups

Interest/Strength

Based



Quads

Different Interests/Strengths

2 OClock Groups

Student - Selected

Triads

Tomlinson - 03

Pre-Assigned Standing Groups

Text Teams

Similar Readiness

Reading Pairs

Synthesis Squads

Sets of 4 with visual,
performance, writing,
metaphorical (etc.)
preferences

Teacher Talkers

Groups of 5-7 with
similar learning needs
with whom the teacher
will meet to extend and
support growth

Think Tanks

Mixed Readiness

Writing Generator

Groups of 4 or 5

Dip Sticks

Groups of six with varied
profiles used by teacher to
do dip stick, crosssection checks of progress,
understanding

Peer Partners

Student selected

Groups 3 or 4

Assigning Groups
Clothes pins with students names to
assign them to a particular task
Color code children to certain groups
(a transparency with students names
in color works well)
Table tents with numbers correlated to
group lists on the overhead
Other great ideas?...

Transitions
Directions for transitions need
to be given with clarity and
urgency.
Time limit for transition
Address the acceptable noise
level
Rehearsal

INTEREST
What does INTEREST mean?
Discovering interest is important;
Creating interest is even
more important.
Inventing Better Schools, Schlechty

Tapping Student Interest

Link interest-based exploration with key components of the
curriculum.
Provide structure likely to lead to student success.
Develop efficient ways of sharing interest-based learning.
Create an open invitation for student interests.
Keep an open eye and an open mind for the student with a
serious passion.
Remember can be combined with other types of
differentiation!

If you want to build a ship,

dont drum up people to
collect wood
and assign them tasks,
but rather teach them
to long for
the immensity
of the sea.
Antoine de Saint-Expuery

BRAIN RESEARCH SHOWS THAT. . .

Eric Jensen, Teaching With the Brain in Mind, 1998

Choices

vs.

content, process, product

groups, resources environment

Relevant

no student voice
restricted resources

vs.

meaningful
connected to learner

Irrelevant
impersonal
out of context

deep understanding

Engaging

Required

only to pass a test

vs.

emotional, energetic
hands on, learner input

Passive
low interaction
lecture seatwork

EQUALS
Increased intrinsic
MOTIVATION

Increased
APATHY & RESENTMENT

-CHOICE-

The Great Motivator!

Requires children to be aware of their own readiness, interests, and
learning profiles.
Students have choices provided by the teacher. (YOU are still in
charge of crafting challenging opportunities for all kiddos NO
taking the easy way out!)
Use choice across the curriculum: writing topics, content writing
prompts, self-selected reading, contract menus, math problems,
spelling words, product and assessment options, seating, group
arrangement, ETC . . .
GUARANTEES BUY-IN AND ENTHUSIASM FOR LEARNING!

How Do You Like to Learn?

1. I study best when it is quiet.
2. I am able to ignore the noise of
other people talking while I am working.
3. I like to work at a table or desk.
4. I like to work on the floor.
5. I work hard by myself.
6. I work hard for my parents or teacher.
7. I will work on an assignment until it is completed, no
matter what.
8. Sometimes I get frustrated with my work
and do not finish it.
9. When my teacher gives an assignment, I like to
have exact steps on how to complete it.
10. When my teacher gives an assignment, I like to
create my own steps on how to complete it.
11. I like to work by myself.
12. I like to work in pairs or in groups.
13. I like to have unlimited amount of time to work on
an assignment.
14. I like to have a certain amount of time to work on
an assignment.
15. I like to learn by moving and doing.
16. I like to learn while sitting at my desk.

Yes No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

No
No
No
No
No

Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No

What Lights You Up?

Below is a list of topics. To help us determine your interests, circle the five that interest you the most. Then,
prioritize your five topics on the spaces below. Place the one which interests you most on space #1, and so
forth through your fifth selection. Make sure to put your name on the space provided.
Advertising
Animals
Archeology
Architecture
Arts/Artists
Astronomy
Authors
Biology
Black History
Careers
Cartooning
Castles/Knights
Civil War
Chemistry
Communication
Computer Programming
Conservation
Cowboys
Crime/Law
Dreams
Death
Ecology

Economics
Energy
Elections/Voting
Etymology
Experiments
Explorers
Legends/Myths
Famous People
Forestry
Fossils
Future Studies
Gender Issues
Genealogy
Genetics
Geology/Rocks/Minerals
Geography/Mapping
Hobbies
Ice Age
Indians
Inventions
Kites/Hot Air Balloon
Local History

Magic
Medicine
Music
Nutrition
Oceanography
Opera
Phobias
Photography
Pirates
Plays/Acting
Poetry
Pollution
Presidents
Robots
Rocketry
Senior Citizens
Sign Language
Stock Market
Transportation
Puppetry/Mime
Weather

Name:________________________________ Selection #1_____________________________

Selection #2___________________________ Selection #3_____________________________
Selection #4___________________________ Selection #5_____________________________
Created by Jeanne Purcell

My Way
An expression Style Inventory
K.E. Kettle J.S. Renzull, M.G. Rizza
University of Connecticut
Products provide students and professionals with a way to express what they have
learned to an audience. This survey will help determine the kinds of products
YOU are interested in creating.
My Name is: ____________________________________________________
Instructions:
Read each statement and circle the number that shows to what extent YOU are
interested in creating that type of product. (Do not worry if you are unsure of how
to make the product).
Not At All Interested

Of Little Interest

Moderately
Interested

Interested

Very Interested

1. Writing Stories

2. Discussing what I
have learned

3. Painting a picture

4. Designing a
computer software
project

5. Filming & editing

a video

6. Creating a
company

7. Helping in the
community

8. Acting in a play

Not At All Interested

Of Little Interest

Moderately
Interested

Interested

Very Interested

9. Building an
inventio
n

10. Playing musical

instrument

11. Writing for a

newspaper

12. Discussing ideas

13. Drawing pictures

for a book

14. Designing an
interactive computer
project

15. Filming & editing

a television show

16. Operating a
business

17. Working to help

others

18. Acting out an

event

19. Building a
project

20. Playing in a
band

21. Writing for a

magazine

22. Talking about my

project

23. Making a clay

sculpture of a
character

Not At All Interested

Of Little Interest

Moderately
Interested

Interested

Very Interested

24. Designing
information for the
computer internet

25. Filming & editing

a movie

26. Marketing a
product

27. Helping others

by supporting a
social cause

28. Acting out a

story

29. Repairing a
machine

30. Composing
music

31. Writing an essay

32. Discussing my
research

33. Painting a mural

34. Designing a
computer

35. Recording &

editing a radio show

36. Marketing an
idea

37. Helping others

by fundraising

38. Performing a skit

Not At All Interested

Of Little Interest

Moderately
Interested

Interested

Very Interested

39. Constructing a
working model.

40. Performing
music

41. Writing a report

42. Talking about my

experiences

43. Making a clay

sculpture of a scene

44. Designing a
multi-media
computer show

45. Selecting slides

and music for a slide
show

46. Managing
investments

47. Collecting
clothing or food to
help others

48. Role-playing a
character

49. Assembling a kit

50. Playing in an
orchestra

Instructions: My
Way A Profile
Write your score
beside each
number. Add each
Row to determine
your expression
style profile.

Products
Written
Oral
Artistic
Computer
Audio/Visual
Commercial
Service
Dramatization

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Manipulative
Musical

9. ___
10.___

___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___

11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
77.
18.

___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___

19. ___
20. ___

21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.

___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___

29. ___
30 . ___

31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.

___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___

39. ___
40. ___

___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___

Total
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____

49. ___
50. ___

_____
_____

41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.

SIGN THE WALL

Build some new friendships. For each brick below, see if you can find a classmate who
fits the description. Then ask that person to sign the brick. More than one person may
sign a brick. Use the bottom row to write other interesting things you discover about
your classmates.

I can write my
Name backwards
I just moved

I read at least four

Books this summer
I can wiggle
My ears

I have a birthday on
A holiday
I built a
Tree house

I can play a
Musical instrument

I can whistle
Using my fingers

II can use
Chopsticks.

I can blow huge

Bubbles with gum
I can ride a
Unicycle

I can ride
A horse.
Ive lived in another decade

Im a whiz at
Nintendo

I can say hello in

Sign language.

Ive tried skiing on

Snow or water.
I know
Karate.

I have a
Strange pet.
Ive liven in another
Country.

Ive climbed a
Mountain.
I like
Snakes

I dream in color

I can
Tap-dance
I can jump off
The high dive.

I can do a
Cartwheel

Im a Leap
Year baby
I lick around ice cream
Cones, not up and down

I already have my
Halloween costume
I share a birthday
With a famous person

I can juggle.

Id rather
Be fishing

What Do You Want to Learn About Rome?

Name: _______________________
These are some of the topics we will be studying in our unit on Ancient Rome.
We want to know what you want to learn about. Number your choices from 1
to 7. Make sure that 1 is your favorite and 8 is your least favorite.
____ geography
____ government (laws)
____ agriculture (foods they grew)
____ architecture (buildings)
____ music and art
____ religion and sports
____ roles of men, women, and children
What Can You Tell Us About Rome?
1. What country is Rome in? ______________
2. What does the word civilization mean?__________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________.
3. Can you give us some examples of different civilizations? ____________
______________________________________________________.
4. Can you name any famous Roman people? ________________________
______________________________________________________.
5. Many things in our country and culture came from the Romans. Can you think of any?
___________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________.

INTEREST SURVEY
Name ______________
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

What types of TV shows do you like to watch?

What hobbies do you have? How much time do you spend on your hobbies?
If you could have anything you want, what would you choose? Why?
Tell about your favorite games.
What kinds of movies to you like to see? Why?
Tell about a vacation you would like to take.
What is your least favorite activity or subject at school? Why?
What is your favorite activity or subject in school? Why?
What kinds of things have you collected? What do you do with the things
you have collected?

INTEREST SURVEY
10. What career(s) do you think might be right for you when you are an
adult?
11. What kinds of books do you like?
12. What are your favorite magazines?
13. What parts of the newspaper do you like to look at? How do you
learn about the news if you dont read the newspaper?
14. What is your first choice about what to do when you have free time at
home?
15. If you could talk to any person alive, who would it be? Why? Think of
3 questions you would like to ask the person.
16. Imagine that you could invent something to make the world a better
place. Describe your invention.
17. What is you something you can do really well?
18. Tell me something else about yourself that you would like me to
know.

Name:

I like to read about:

_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
___________________________

I would like to collect / I have

collections of:
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
___________________________

Things I like to do:

_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
__________________

I would like to study/learn more

about:
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
__________________

What Lights You Up?

Below is a list of topics. To help us determine your interests, circle the five that interest you the most. Then,
prioritize your five topics on the spaces below. Place the one which interests you most on space #1, and so
forth through your fifth selection. Make sure to put your name on the space provided.
Advertising
Animals
Archeology
Architecture
Arts/Artists
Astronomy
Authors
Biology
Black History
Careers
Cartooning
Castles/Knights
Civil War
Chemistry
Communication
Computer Programming
Conservation
Cowboys
Crime/Law
Dreams
Death
Ecology

Economics
Energy
Elections/Voting
Etymology
Experiments
Explorers
Legends/Myths
Famous People
Forestry
Fossils
Future Studies
Gender Issues
Genealogy
Genetics
Geology/Rocks/Minerals
Geography/Mapping
Hobbies
Ice Age
Indians
Inventions
Kites/Hot Air Balloon
Local History

Magic
Medicine
Music
Nutrition
Oceanography
Opera
Phobias
Photography
Pirates
Plays/Acting
Poetry
Pollution
Presidents
Robots
Rocketry
Senior Citizens
Sign Language
Stock Market
Transportation
Puppetry/Mime
Weather

Name:________________________________ Selection #1_____________________________

Selection #2___________________________ Selection #3_____________________________
Selection #4___________________________ Selection #5_____________________________
Created by Jeanne Purcell

READING INVENTORY
Name _________________
!Date _________!
1. How do you feel about reading?!
2. Do you think you are a good reader? Why?!
3. What was the last book you read?!
4. What kinds of books do you like to read?!
5. Do you think it is important to be a good reader? Why?!
6. What do you do when you come to a word you cant read?!
7. Do you read at home?!
8. What do you usually do after school when you get home?!
9. Do you like to read? Why?!
10. Is there anything you would like me to know that would
help you have a good year at school?!
!
!

!
!

!
!

!!
!

!Create Independent Learners * Patricia Pavelka!

American Revolution Survey

Name _____________
1. In school my favorite subject is:
____ Reading _____ Writing _____ Math
____ Science _____ Social Studies
Other: _______________________________
2. I like working:
____ in a group ____ with a partner ____ by myself
3. When working in a group I am usually:
____ a leader _____ a follower
4. One of my hobbies is __________________________________
5. I like to collect_______________________________________
6. I wish I knew more about _______________________________

American Revolution Survey

7. Something I already know about the American Revolution is
8. Rate the following Revolutionary War topics from 1 to 10, according to your
interests (1 = your favorite, 10 = your least favorite).
______ presidents

______ other important leaders

______ womens role

______ the life of a soldier

______ Great Britains role

______ important documents

______ Thomas Jefferson

______ important battles fought

______ colonial protests

______ early forms of government

Adapted by Kathie Bahnson, White Pine Elementary, Boise, ID

Connecting Kids and Curriculum

Link to students lives - examples, personal experiences
Focus products around significant problems and issues - real people and
places
Use meaningful audiences that are important to the student - within school
and in the community
Discover how ideas and skills are useful in the world - guest speakers,
primary resources, full range of cultures
Look for fresh ways to present and explore ideas - cartoons, role play,
photos, artifacts, technology
Share your experiences and passions and invite students to do the same books, places youve visited, people you admire, difficulties youve
experienced when learning
Carol Tomlinson, Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom

Differentiating Content by Interest

Provide interest centers to encourage further
exploration of topics.
Provide a wide range of materials on a wide
range of related student interests.
Use student questions and topics to guide
lectures and materials selection.
Use examples and illustrations based on
student interests.
Differentiation in Practice, Carol Tomlinson & Caroline Eidson

To Differentiate Content
Reading partners/ Reading Buddies
Read/Summarize
Read/Question/Answer
Visual Organizer/Summarizer
Parallel Reading with Teacher Prompt
Choral Reading/Antiphonal Reading
Flip books
Split Journals (Double Entry - Triple Entry)
Books on Tape
Highlights on Tape
Digests/Cliff Notes
Notetaking Organizers
Varied Texts
Varied Supplementary Materials
Highlighted Texts
Think-Pair-Share/Preview-Midview-Postview

DOUBLE ENTRY JOURNAL

(Basic)
CONTENT
Note Taking

RESPONSE
Sense Making

Key phrases
Important words
Main ideas
Puzzling passages
Summaries
Powerful passages
Key parts
Etc.

How to use ideas

Why an idea is important
Questions
Meaning of key words,
passages
Predictions
Reactions
Comments on style
Etc.

DOUBLE ENTRY JOURNAL

(Advanced)
CONTENT
Key passages
Key vocabulary
Organizing
concepts
Key principles
Key patterns

ANOTHER VOICE

Teacher
Author
Expert in field
Character
Satirist
Political cartoonist
Etc.

MAX

Providing Choice in ALL

Content Areas
Writing topics, content writing prompts, self-selected reading,
literature study choices, spelling words
Math problems, science experiments, demonstrations
Product choices, contract menus, centers, RAFT, independent
studies, homework options
Learning profile preferences
Seating and working arrangements, self-reflection

Writing Bingo

Try for one or more BINGOs this month. Remember, you must have a
real reason for the writing experience! If you mail or email your
product, get me to read it first and initial your box! Be sure to use
your writing goals and our class rubric to guide your work.
Recipe

Thank you
note

Letter to the
editor

Directions to
one place to
another

Rules for a
game

Invitation

Email
request for
information

Letter to a pen
pal, friend, or
relative

Skit or scene

Interview

Newspaper
article

Short story

FREE
Your choice

Grocery or
shopping list

Schedule for
your work

Advertiseme
nt

Cartoon strip

Poem

Instructions

Greeting
card

Journal for a
week

Design for a
web page

Book Think
Aloud

Letter to your Proposal to

teacher
improve
something

Literature Studies
Provide a variety of sets of books
Students go book shopping to select
their top choices
Teacher assigns groups based on student
interest

Book Shopping

Browse through the sets of literature study books. Use the

criteria we have developed for selecting just right books to
choose what is best for you to read. List at least 3 choices
along with your justification for choosing each one.
Title

Author

Describe how this book will help you

become a better reader/writer.

Judy Rex, 2003

Differentiation By Interest
Social Studies
Mrs. Schlim and her students were studying the Civil War.
During the unit, they did many things -- read and
discussed the text, looked at many primary documents
(including letters from soldiers), had guest speakers,
visited a battlefield, etc.
As the unit began, Mrs. Schlim reminded her students that
they would be looking for examples and principles
related to culture, conflict change and interdependence.

Differentiation By Interest
Social Studies
She asked her students to list topics they liked
thinking and learning about in their own world.
Among those listed were:
music

reading

sports/recreation
mysteries
cartoons

food

books

transportation travel

people
families

teenagers humor

heroes/ villains
medicine
clothing

Differentiation By Interest
Social Studies
She then asked each student or pair of students
to select a topic of real interest to them and
explore it throughout the unit as a guided
independent study. Their job was to see what
their topic showed them about life in the Civil
War in general - and about culture, conflict,
change and interdependence during that time.

Differentiation By Interest
Social Studies (continued)
Students had as supports for their work:
- a planning calendar
- criteria for quality
- check-in dates
- options for expressing what they learned
- data gathering matrix (optional)
- class discussions on findings, progress, snags
-mini-lessons on research (optional)

Assessments
Sample assessments for determining a variety
of interest and learning profile factors may be
downloaded at:
www.e2c2.com/fileupload.asp
Download the file entitled Profile Assessments
for Cards or Word Assessments.

61

Learner Profile Card

Gender Stripe
Auditory, Visual, Kinesthetic

Analytical, Creative, Practical

Modality

Sternberg
Students
Interests

Multiple Intelligence Preference

Gardner

Array
Inventory

62

STERNBERGS INTELLIGENCES
ANALYTICAL

Linear Schoolhouse Smart - Sequential

PRACTICAL

Streetsmart Contextual Focus on Use

CREATIVE

Innovator Outside the Box What If

An idea for assessing students according to Sternbergs intelligences

would be to five the following scenario:
Imagine you are driving with your parents and they are listening to the
radio. An interesting piece comes on about something you do not know. As
you listen, you get more and more interested. What do you want to know?
Do you want to know all the little details that go into it?
Do you want to know how it is being used?
Do you want to know only enough information to think of other
things to do?
Students who choose the first question fall into the analytic intelligence, the
second corresponds to practical and those who choose the final question
are the creative learners.

Tall Tales
Grade 3

Differentiation According to
Sternbergs Intelligences

Know: What makes a Tall Tale

Definition of fact and exaggeration
Understand:
An exaggeration starts with a fact and stretches it.
People sometimes exaggerate to make their stories or deeds seem more wonderful or
scarier.
Do:
Distinguish fact and exaggeration

Analytical Task
Listen to or read Johnny Appleseed and complete
the organizer as you do.

Johnny Appleseeds
Facts

Exaggerations

Practical Task
Think of a time when you or someone you know was sort of like the Johnny Appleseed story and told a tall tale
about something that happened. Write or draw both the factual or true version of the story and the tall tale version.

Creative Task --Role

Audience
Someone
in our class

Our
class

RAFT Assignment
Format
Diary entry

Topic

Let me tell you

what happened while Johnny A. and I were on
the way to school today.

Understanding Number
Analytic Task

Make a number chart that shows all ways you can

think of to show 5.

Practical Task

Find as many things as you can at school and at home

that have something to do with 5. Share what you find
with us so we can see and understand what you did.

Creative Task

Write and/or recite a riddle poem about 5 that helps

us understand the number in many, unusual, and
interesting ways.

EVALUATING PLOT
Standard: Students will evaluate the quality of plot based on clear criteria

Analytical Task
Experts suggest that an effective plot is: believable, has events that
follow a logical and energizing sequence, has compelling characters
and has a convincing resolution.

Select a story that you believe does have an effective plot based on
these three criteria as well as others you state. Provide specific
support from the story for your positions.

OR

Select a story you believe has an effective plot in spite of the fact
that it does not meet these criteria. Establish the criteria you believe
made the storys plot effective. Make a case, using specific
illustrations from the story, that your criteria describes an
effective plot

Practical Task
A local TV station wants to air teen-produced digital videos based
on well known works. Select and storyboard you choice for a
video. Be sure your storyboards at least have a clear and
believable plot structure, a logical sequence of events, compelling
characters and a convincing resolution. Note other criteria on
which you feel the plots effectiveness should also be judged.
Make a case that your choice is a winner based on these and other
criteria you state.

Creative Task

Propose an original story you fell has a clear and believable plot
structure, a logical sequence of events, compelling characters, and
a convincing resolution. You may write it, storyboard it, or make a
flow chart of it. Find a way to demonstrate that your story
achieves these criteria as well as any others you note as important.

Creative

Choose three items from out classroom that are all in different states of matter. Show how each item is
in a different state of matter in comparison to the other two items. Use terms like mass and volume to
explain your answer.
Use the idea of water, ice, and vapor to create a chart to show how these 3 things change from one state
to another. Include condensation, evaporation, melting point, freezing point, expanding, and contracting
in your chart.
Create three imaginative items to demonstrate different states of matter. Make an illustration of each
item and explain why each one fit into the state it is in . Use mass and volume in your explanation.
Make a visually appealing poster to teach second graders how each state changes into the other states.
Be sure the way you teach is original. Show condensation, evaporation, melting point, freezing point,
expanding, and contracting in your poster.

Practical

Analytical

Three States of Matter - Elementary Grade

KNOW:Three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas
UNDERSTAND:All matter has both mass and volume.
DO:Distinguish one state of matter from the others.
Show how one state of matter changes to the others.

There are three mysterious objects in a box on a museum shelf. Their states of matter are not yet
identified. Your task is to figure out the state of matter for each one. Design a museum exhibit for the
3. Use the terms mass and volume in your exhibit signs.
There is a close friend of yours who does not understand how one state of matter changes into another.
You want to help your friend out. Write out how you would explain to your friend using all this terms:
condensation, evaporation, melting point, freezing point, expanding, and contracting. Make your
explanation as clear as you can.

Learning Style Social Studies Lesson on Landforms based

on Sternbergs Intelligence Preference
Know: Geographical terms (isthmus, delta, peninsula, river, island)
Understand: Landforms and bodies of water effect human movement
and influence the development of cities.
Do: Locate and label specific landforms
Analyze how landforms produce economic advantages that
establish settlements.
After students have read and taken notes on the chapter, the teacher
reviews with the whole class the basic information on landforms.
Then, students are given a choice of three assignments to be done
individually or in groups of two or three.

Practical: Using these 8 given cities, (or you may choose

other cities after approval by teacher), demonstrate how
landforms and bodies of water contributed to the
development and movement of people to this site over a
period of time. You may use overlay transparencies or
models to show the areas and growth.
Creative: Develop a map of a new world that has at least 8
different types of landforms and/or bodies of water. Using
labels, etc., determine how these sites would grow due to
economic possibilities of these geographical features, and
predict population growth over a period of time.
Analytical: Create clues or a set of directions to help us
identify and locate at least 8 landforms on the map (given
in the textbook, or a map provided by the teacher). Clues/
directions should also be based on population and
economic growth and changes.

Dance Lesson Differentiation by Learning Profile (Sternberg

Intelligence)
Students will discuss their understanding of Dance
is communication in a journal reflection.
Analytical: Give specific examples of different ways
dance can communicate. Discuss how space can
be manipulated to create different moods. Present
your conclusions in a chart or list.
Practical: Choose 4 moods that can be
communicated through dance. Discuss how
dance would communicate each mood, and
include the use of space for each.
Creative: Dance is a form of communication.
Create a story filled with emotion to communicate,
and describe what the dance would look like. Be
sure to include how the dance manipulates space.
Nancy Smith, 2002

Learning Style Social Studies Lesson on Landforms based

on Sternbergs Intelligence Preference
Know: Geographical terms (isthmus, delta, peninsula, river, island)
Understand: Landforms and bodies of water effect human movement
and influence the development of cities.
Do: Locate and label specific landforms
Analyze how landforms produce economic advantages that
establish settlements.
After students have read and taken notes on the chapter, the teacher
reviews with the whole class the basic information on landforms.
Then, students are given a choice of three assignments to be done
individually or in groups of two or three.

Practical: Using these 8 given cities, (or you may choose

other cities after approval by teacher), demonstrate how
landforms and bodies of water contributed to the
development and movement of people to this site over a
period of time. You may use overlay transparencies or
models to show the areas and growth.
Creative: Develop a map of a new world that has at least 8
different types of landforms and/or bodies of water. Using
labels, etc., determine how these sites would grow due to
economic possibilities of these geographical features, and
predict population growth over a period of time.
Analytical: Create clues or a set of directions to help us
identify and locate at least 8 landforms on the map (given
in the textbook, or a map provided by the teacher). Clues/
directions should also be based on population and
economic growth and changes.

Biology
KNOW
Cell parts and functions
UNDERSTAND
A cell is a system with interrelated parts
DO
Analyze the interrelations of cell parts/
functions
Present understandings in clear, useful,
interesting, and fresh way

Biology
Analytical
Use a cause/effect chain or some other format
you develop to show how each part of a cell
affects other parts as well as the whole. Use
labels, directional markers, and other symbols
as appropriate to ensure that someone who is
pretty clueless about how a cell works will be
enlightened after they study your work.

Biology
Practical
Look around you in your world or the broader world
for systems that could serve as analogies for the
cell. Select your best analogy (best meaning most
clearly matched, most explanatory or enlightening).
Devise a way to make the analogy clear and visible
to an audience of your peers, ensuring that they will
develop clearer and richer insights about how a cell
works by sharing in your work. Be sure to
emphasize both the individual functions of cell parts
and the interrelationships among the parts.

Biology
Creative
Use unlikely stuff to depict the structure and
function of the cell, with emphasis on
interrelationships among each of the parts.
You should select your materials carefully to
reveal something important about the cell, its
parts, and/or their interrelationships. Your
ahas should trigger ours.

Varied Homework

ink
h
t
r
eve work
e
d w home de
y
h
W
me ne ma
a
s
the veryo
??
w
o
e
h
for e any
s
sen

Sure you can check

homework when kids
do varied tasks!!

Homework Checkers

Homework or . . .
Home Learning (H.L.)
Learning doesnt stop when students walk out the door!
Should be an extension of what was undertaken in class
Home learning is for practice and transfer
Readiness, interest, and/or learning profile may be used to
differentiate H.L. activities
Another option choose a learning activity from a
collaboratively developed list, record.
Students assume responsibility for checking & turning in.
Teacher assumes responsibility for feedback regarding quality
& understanding.
Students become life-long learners while taking responsibility
for their own learning.
Celebrate success!

Name _______________________
CHOOSE AND RECORD

Date ___________

For Home Learning I chose to __________________________

__________________________________________________
Here are some things I noticed, practiced and/or learned:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

This is a process for checking multiple homework assignments

simultaneously in a classroom so that the teacher feels free to
differentiate homework as necessary to address particular student
learning needs.
1. The teacher checks to make sure each student has completed
assigned homework
3. Students who have not completed the assignment work in a
designated area of the room to complete the assignment (teacher
floats to provide guidance/feedback).
5. Students who completed the HW work in groups of 4 to check all 4
sets for agreement/disagreement
7. All students mark each answer for agreement/disagreement as
well as explanations of why an answer is wrong and how to
correct.
5. Students sign indicating agreement, staple set of 4 together, turn in
6. Teacher spot checks, grades one per set.

Background:
The teacher provides a ledger type book which will provide a running
record of what takes place in each class period. The teacher
also helps students develop procedures, criteria, and a rotation
for maintaining the book and procedures for using the book.
Steps:
1. Each student takes rotational turns at keeping the book for a day.
2. The student dates the entry and lists all assignments with complete
explanations and requirementsalso includes or references assignment
sheets, rubrics, etc.
3. The student keeps complete notes of lectures, discussions, student
questions, etc.
4. The student is responsible for checking accuracy, completeness, etc. w/
other students.
5. The book is available to all students who need to refer to it for missed
information, clarification, due dates, product requirements, etc.

Give everyone the same homework assignment?

Why do you say so?
Use different homework assignments?
Why do you say so?
What problems might it create if you sometimes
used different homework assignments?

Hot Topic

Writing

Group 1

Group 2

Alone or in pairs, develop a topic

Make a bank of power ideas

Web or storyboard the sequence
and support

Meet with teacher to ratchet

Begin writing

Paired revision

Paired editing

Meet with teacher

Brainstorm for hot topics

Web ideas for possible inclusion

Develop a word bank

Storyboard a sequence of ideas

Make support ladders

Begin writing

DOUBLE ENTRY JOURNAL

(Basic)
As You Read, Note:

Key phrases
Important words
Main ideas
Puzzling passages
Summaries
Powerful passages
Key parts
Important graphics
Etc.

After You Read, Explain:

How to use ideas

Why an idea is important
Questions
Meaning of key words,
passages
Predictions
Reactions
Comments on style
Interpretation of graphics
Etc.

DOUBLE ENTRY JOURNAL

(Advanced)
As You Read
Key passages
Key vocabulary
Organizing
concepts
Key principles
Key patterns
Links between
text & graphics

After You Read

Teacher
Author
Expert in field
Character
Satirist
Political
cartoonist
Etc.

DOUBLE ENTRY JOURNAL

(Basic)
WHAT I SAW OR HEARD

WHAT I THINK

DOUBLE ENTRY JOURNAL

(Advanced)
WHAT I SAW /
HEARD

WHAT -----WOULD THINK

Flippers!
You will need 2 sheets of
construction paper, of different
colors. (Youll only use a
sheet of the second color.)
Fold the frame color into
fourths horizontally (hamburger
folds).
Back-fold the same piece in
the opposite directions so that
it is well creased and flexible.
Fold the frame at the center
only, and make cuts from the
fold up to the next fold line. 7
cuts for 8 sections is easy to
do, but cut as many as you
like.

Fold the second color of paper

into fourths as well. Cut these
apart. You will only use 2 of
the strips.
Basket-weave the two strips
into the cut strips of the frame.
The two sides need to be
woven in opposite directions.
To use the flipper, write
questions on the woven colors.
To find the answers, fold the
flipper so that the center is
pointed at you, then pull the
center apart to reveal answer
spaces.
Flipper works in this way on
both sides!

Play Around with the Ideas.

How can you use some of these strategies in your classroom

to teach varied learners more effectively?

Learning Contracts
Contracts take a number of forms that begin with an
agreement between student and teacher.
The teacher grants certain freedoms and choices about
how a student will complete tasks,
and the student agrees to use the freedoms
appropriately in designing and completing work
according to specifications

Strategy: Learning Contracts

CONTRIBUTIONS

IMPORTANT PEOPLE

GEOGRAPHY

Learning Contract----Think Tac Toe

Ancient Civilizations Grade 6
As an ancient mapmaker, you
are commissioned to create a
map of your land including all
natural land forms, a compass
rose and a scale. Also find
examples of each land form in a
modern civilization.

Imagine that you are an ancient

citizen who awakens to discover
that all water has evaporated.
Explain in detail how this would
alter your way of life. Also, do
this for the town where you live.

Assume you are persuading

others to visit your ancient
civilization. Design a descriptive,
accurate travel brochure.
Include both natural and manmade elements that would
attract tourists.

You are an ancient scribe. Write

and illustrate a thorough
description of a famous
character from each time period
being studied. Profile yourself
also.

Assume the identity of a famous

person from the given time
period. Create a journal entry
reflecting the ideas, values, and
components of daily life for that
person & you.

You are a famous sculptor.

Create a 3D representation of a
well-known leader, god,
goddess, or common citizen.
Include a museum exhibit card.

Written language is an essential

part of everyday life. Your task is
to create an alphabet. Include a
translation into modern English,
a written description of the
language development a & a 3D
artifact of the new language.

Recreate in 3D form a famous

work of architecture from your
time period. Compare and
contrast this piece to one piece
of modern day architecture. Find
one example of this
architectures presence in
modern day society.

Find a way to explain and show

the importance of music and the
arts to your culture. Also show
at least 2 examples with roots in
our time.

Charles Kyle & Kathy Reed * Illinois

A Planet Show & Tell

Pick a Way to Explain

Create One

(Each student must pick one square from each horizontal row and use the two together)
Use the computer
to make a drawing
that shows how the
rotation and
revolution of the
Earth works to
create day and
night and seasons.

Paint a picture that

shows how the
rotation and
revolution of the
Earth works to
create day and
night and seasons.

Construct a model
that shows how the
rotation and
revolution of the
Earth works to
create day and
night and seasons.

Create a book or
puppet show that
shows how the
rotation and
revolution of the
Earth works.

Make labels for the

sun, Earth, day,
night, orbit to attach
to or use with your
creation. Be ready
to explain orally.

Write sentences*
that identity and
explain each part of
your drawing or
model and how
each part works.

Write a story that

explains the Earths
rotation, revolution,
day and night, and
seasons.

Write a poem that

explains the Earths
rotation, revolution,
day and night and
seasons.

This differentiated review/synthesis task is based on Va. SOLS for science:

1.6 The student will investigate & understand the basic relationships between the Earth and sun, Including *the sun is the
source of heat & light *night & day are caused by the rotation of the Earth. 1.7 The student will investigate and
understand the relationship of seasonal change (light and temperature) to the activities & life processes of plants and
animals.
Based on Unit by Bette Wood, Charlottesville, Virginia City Schools.

Friendships Shape Up!

Reading Contract
Choose an activity from each shape group. Cut out your three choices and
glue them below. You are responsible for finishing these activities by
____________________.
Have fun!

This contract belongs to _____________________.

Brenda Spurgeon, 2nd Grade, Riverside Elementary School, Boise, ID

Friendships Shape Up! Contd

Make a poster advertising
yourself as a good friend.
Use words and pictures to
help make people want to
be your friend. Make sure
your name is an important
pare of the poster.

Make a two sided

circle-rama. Use it to
tell people what makes
you a good friend. Use
pictures and words and
make sure your name is
an important part of
the display.

Get with
a friend and make
a puppet show
about a problem
and the solution
in your book.

Get
with a
friend &
act out a problem
and its solution
from your book.

Draw a picture of a
problem in the story.
Then use words to tell
about the problem and
how the characters
solved their problem.

Write a letter to one of

the characters in your
book. Tell them about a
problem you have. Then
have them write back
with a possible solution
to your problem.

Make a mobile that

shows what makes you a
good friend. Use
pictures and words to
hang on your mobile.
Write your name on the
top of the mobile in
beautiful letters.

Meet with
me & tell me about
a problem and its
solution from the story.
Then tell me about
a problem you have
had and how you solved it.

Think about another

problem on of the
characters in your book
might have. Write a
new story for the book
about the problem and
tell how it was solved.

Writing Bingo

Try for one or more BINGOs this month. Remember, you must have a
real reason for the writing experience! If you mail or email your
product, get me to read it first and initial your box! Be sure to use
your writing goals and our class rubric to guide your work.
Recipe

Thank you
note

Letter to the
editor

Directions to
one place to
another

Rules for a
game

Invitation

Email
request for
information

Letter to a pen
pal, friend, or
relative

Skit or scene

Interview

Newspaper
article

Short story

FREE
Your choice

Grocery or
shopping list

Schedule for
your work

Advertiseme
nt

Cartoon strip

Poem

Instructions

Greeting
card

Journal for a
week

Design for a
web page

Book Think
Aloud

Letter to your Proposal to

teacher
improve
something

Math Ticket
Problem of the Day
Complete the odd #
problem from the POD
Board. Evens for
bonus.

Computer
Task Card

Math Writing

Math with Legs

Teacher Feature

Explain in a clear step-by-step

how you:
Solved your problem of the day
or
Solved your Tangram or
Geoboard Challenge.
Use pictures and words to teach
someone how to do one of your
five math tasks.
Develop a story or scenario in
which one student clarifies how to
do word problems for a confused
friend.

Develop a real problem

someone might have
which graphing would
help them solve. Show
how that would work,
including graphs and
explanations. You may
use any kind of graph you
know about as long as it
fits the problem.

When called

Graphics
Tangrams Ex. (p.14 #1)
Tangrams Ex. (p.11, #9)
Geoboard Pentagon
Geoboard Heptagon Design

(2 Yellow/2 Greens)

Science Agenda on
Chemical Problems in the Environment
IMPERATIVES (You must do these)
1) Select a chemical problem in the environment and
Define and describe the difficulties is presents
Be sure to discuss why, where, and to whom/what
Your choices are:
Global Warming/Greenhouse Effect
Ozone Depletion
Acid Rain
Air Pollution
Water Pollution (including thermal pollution and land/ground
pollution)
2) Complete a map showing where the problem exists, what/who is affected by it,
and the degree of impact
3) Develop a talking paper that describes present and future solutions, as well as
your recommendations.

CENTERS
A learning center is a classroom area
that contains a collection of activities or
materials designed to teach, reinforce,
or extend a particular skill or concept.
Centers can focus on specific skills in
any content area: math, writing,
reading, spelling, handwriting, language
arts, science, social studies, art,
technology

Writing Center
!Housed in a crate:!
Writing prompts !
Squiggle writing !
Picture file!
!

!Beginning, middle, end book!

!Harris Burdick posters!
!Story Starters!

Specific guidelines and criteria:!

This week when you are at the writing center please
focus on the use of excellent WORD CHOICE in your
writing. You may use any available resources to help
you give a personal best effort. !
After you complete your piece, go through the peer
editing process and evaluate your word choice with the
Six Trait Writing Rubric before turning it in. !

CENTERS
An interest center is designed to
motivate students exploration of topics
in which they have a particular interest.
Survey students to determine interests
and provide opportunities in a center
setting to explore them.
Provide choices for response to learning
or for extension of a topic studied.

Literacy Centers

Mosaic of Thought (1997)

Ellin Oliver Keene, Susan Zimmermann
The Theater Corner dramatize images
or scenes from text
The Book Talk Zone small group
literature discussions
The Artists Studio artistic expression of
images from text
The Writers Den written responses to
books
Differentiated by learning profile & interest

MATERIALS FOR CENTERS

Any materials that will address the varying readiness,
interests and learning profiles of your students can be
used.
Many ready-made materials are available for use in
centers - its how you use them with your students that
makes them differentiated.
Make use of the materials you have by matching them to
specific learners instead of using them in the same way
with all students.

Differentiating Products by Interest

Encourage students to demonstrate key knowledge,
understanding, and skills in related topics of special interest.
Help students find mentors to guide product development or
choice of products.
Allow students to use a range of media or formats to express
their knowledge, understanding, and skill.
Provide opportunities for students to develop independent
inquiries with appropriate teacher or mentor guidance.

Differentiation in Practice, Carol Tomlinson & Caroline Eidson

Map
Diagram
Sculpture
Discussion
Demonstration
Poem
Profile
Chart
Play
Dance
Campaign
Cassette
Quiz Show
Banner
Brochure
Debate
Flow Chart
Puppet Show
Tour

Lecture
Editorial
Painting
Costume
Placement
Blueprint
Catalogue
Dialogue
Newspaper
Scrapbook
Lecture
Questionnaire
Flag
Scrapbook
Graph
Debate
Museum
Learning Center
Advertisement

Book List
Calendar
Coloring Book
Game
Research Project
TV Show
Song
Dictionary
Film
Collection
Trial
Machine
Book
Mural
Award
Recipe
Test

Puzzle
Model
Timeline
Toy
Article
Diary
Poster
Magazine
Computer
Program
Photographs
Terrarium
Petition Drive
Teaching
Lesson
Prototype
Speech
Club
Cartoon
Biography
Review
Invention

Assessment is
todays means of
understanding how
to modify
tomorrows
instruction.
Carol Tomlinson

ONGOING ASSESSMENT

Some teachers
talk about---

LEARNING

Some teachers
talk about--VS.

GRADES

Can these two coexist peacefully?

Should one receive emphasis over the other?

Too often,
educational
tests, grades,
and report cards
are treated by
teachers as
autopsies when
they should be
viewed as
physicals.
(Reeves 2000, 10)
108

Four Criteria of
Quality Feedback
1. It must be timely.
3. It must be specific.
5. It must be understandable to
the receiver.
7. It must allow the student to
act on the feedback (refine,
revise, practice, and retry).
"
"

"
"

"
"

"
"

"
"

"Wiggins, 1998

On-going Assessment:
A Diagnostic Continuum
Feedback and Goal Setting

Preassessment
(Finding Out)

Pre-test
Graphing for Greatness
Inventory
KWL
Checklist
Observation
Self-evaluation
Questioning

Formative Assessment
Summative Assessment
(Keeping Track & Checking -up)
(Making sure)

Conference
Peer evaluation
3-minute pause
Observation
Talkaround
Questioning

Exit Card
Portfolio Check
Quiz
Journal Entry
Self-evaluation

Unit Test
Performance Task
Product/Exhibit
Demonstration
Portfolio Review

THINKING ABOUT
ON-GOING ASSESSMENT
STUDENT DATA
SOURCES
1. Journal entry
2. Short answer test
3. Open response test
4. Home learning
5. Notebook
6. Oral response
7. Portfolio entry
8. Exhibition
9. Culminating product
10. Question writing
11. Problem solving

TEACHER DATA
MECHANISMS
1. Anecdotal records
2. Observation by checklist
3. Skills checklist
4. Class discussion
5. Small group interaction
6. Teacher student
conference
7. Assessment stations
8. Exit cards
9. Problem posing
10.Performance tasks and
rubrics

Squaring Off
Whole Group Assessment
1.

Place a card in each corner of the room with one of the following
words or phrases that are effective ways to group according to
learner knowledge.
Rarely ever
Dirt road

2.
3.

Sometimes
Paved road

Often
Highway

I have it!
Yellow brick road

Tell the students to go to the corner of the room that matches their
place in the learning journey.
Participants go to the corner that most closely matches their own
learning status and discuss what they know about the topic and why
they chose to go there.

Directions: Complete the chart to show what

you know about MAGNETISM.
Write as much as you can.
Definition

Information

Magnetism
Examples

Non-Examples

An example of pre-assessment of readiness

Knowledge Rating Chart

1.
2.
3.

Ive never heard of this before

Ive heard of this, but am not sure how it works
I know about this and how to use it

_____ Direct object

_____ Direct object pronoun
_____ Indirect object
_____ Indirect object pronoun
_____ Object of a preposition
_____ Adjective
_____ Interrogative adjective

Exit Cards
List
3 things you learned
today
2 things youd like to
learn more about
1 question you still have

Exit Cards

Explain the difference

between simile and metaphor.
Give some examples of each
as part of your explanation.

Exit Cards

We have been learning about patriotism.

Use words and/or pictures to show your
understanding of what it is. What
questions do you have about this?
topic?

EXIT CARDS
Today you began to
learn about hyperbole.
List three things you
learned.
Write at least one
question you have
about this topic.

EXIT CARDS
We have begun a study
of authors craft.
List and identify three
examples of figurative
language used in the
novel Morning Girl by
Michael Dorris.

EXIT CARDS
On your exit card--Explain the difference
between simile and
metaphor. Give some
examples of each as
part of your
explanation.

3-2-1 Summarizer
After reading over my rough draft--3 revisions I can make to improve
my draft.
2 resources I can use to help improve
my draft.
1 thing I really like about my first
draft.

________s 3-2-1 Exit Card

3

2
1

_______s Exit Card

3
List three things you
know about
_________________

1.
2.
3.

2
What are two things
that you would need/
want to help you
understand
__________________

1
What is one idea that
you would be willing to
teach to someone
else?

1.
2.

1.

EXIT CARD GROUPINGS

Group 2
Group 1
Students who are
struggling with the
concept or
skill

Students with
some understanding
of concept or skill

Group 3
Students who
understand the
concept or skill

Readiness Groups